eastern wa mulies in the mountains....what is typical to you?

[high country]

OK, so without spilling your areas, what do you find habitat wise when ti comes to said deer?  I see more big bucks in the blowdowns mixed with fresh saplings.....others?

[boneaddict]

Ditto.

[Dman]

 I've seen the biggest muleys in the upper ends of finger canyon's where there is good browse and cover, also laying in open hillsides where there is a good FOV, laying in rocks and sage.

[high country]

oddly I have seen very few "big" bucks in areas that could be glassed from very far away. most are in the thickest, nastiest blowdowns, and there is always a bunch of new growth trees, old burns that have been abused by wind....I don't know where guys find deer in open areas in the big mountains, the only open places I have seen a good nomber of decent bucks is on top of a very tall mountain that had burnt and not grown back. that hill is a 7k footer and the trail starts at 4000ft.....it sux going up. but sweet coming down......even with a spare 80lbs.

[high country]

I have seen some bruisers in the fields too, but to me shooting a deer across an open field is sportlees and unfulfilling. If I am to take a deer it will be from the mountain. a 170" high counrty buck is worth a 250" wheat field buck to me everyday.

that is a big 10-4 on big deer and no hunting signs! I don't have to worry, as my land is your land where I hunt.

[boneaddict]

Only open hillsides that I have seen bruisers in are at 6000 and up, and its only open because brush doesn't grow out of rock.  Again, Ditto to what high country said.  I here you MILES.  I know those big whitetails can read, and I'm sure they get their copy of the regs way before we do.

[Ridgerunner]

Too often in my spotting scope and not in my rifle scope, lol.  All the above is pretty good advice although I have seen some nice bucks out in the open basins, they were however not pressured at all at that time of year.

[Dman]

 I'd agree with the 'more remote, more out in the open' principle. The one huge buck I saw that I'm sure went at least 350lbs and was at least a 5x6 with great mass was three miles in and at the top of the highest slope at 5,800 feet. He was laying in rocks and brush above me. I had even glassed where he was and couldn't seem him until I practically tripped over him. I got as close as 40 feet, but couldn't get a shot off as he was actually too close to get a sight on him and then was off in to the trees in just a couple seconds. He had so much mass it was too hard for me to make sure he had 3 points moving as fast as he was until he as nearly in to the trees. Definitely non-typical with bases as big around as my forearms. One of my most disappointing trips hunting ever, missing that big buck. 

[WAcoueshunter]

The two biggest WA bucks I've seen (180 class) were (1) in open rimrock above the treeline, and (2) on top of a 5,000 foot ridge with a grassy hillside with scattered trees on the south side, and heavy dense timber on the north side.  Didn't get shots at either one.  I prefer to glass and stalk, so I usually hunt the southern slopes that are more open.  See plenty of smaller legal bucks out there, often in the wide open.  But the bigger bucks usually seem to be right at the ridgeline so they can reach the dense north side in short order.  That being said, my biggest WA muley (155) was shot at the base of a mountain full of timber.  But instead of being near the trees, he was bedded out in a wide open pasture with his girlfriend, maybe thinking no one would look there...?  It was opening day, so maybe he just hadn't felt any pressure yet...?